Dermatologist Questions Dry lips

Why do lips peel?

My lips have started peeling pretty badly, and I think it has to do with the weather. Should I start using lip balm or vaseline? What causes lips to peel?

5 Answers

Sun, irritation from makeup, lip products, or toothpastes, and lip licking are common causes of peeling lips. Sunblock and Vaseline are good options to treat scaly lips. If it persists see a board certified dermatologist to determine the cause and best treatment.
A lip balm and or vaseline helps. A coco butter type lip balm keeps them nourished. Often times the lips peel due to inclement weather and the changes in climate. The skin becomes more drier in the winter months which causes the chaffing of the skin.
Lips peel to replace old skin just like the rest of our bodies. A small amount of lip balm or lip ice or veseline is fine as often as the lips feel dry
Lips usually peel because they are dry or unnecessarily irritated. Dry lips can happen from a number of causes from it being dry outside, to internal medical conditions, to using the wrong products, to licking your lips, to a whole host of other causes. Use a good lip balm if you have dry peeling lips but please go to the Environmental Working Group's website, http://www.ewg.org, first to make sure what you are using is not toxic. The horrible ingredients that are in most lipsticks and lip balms should never be put on your body, let alone your lips because whatever you put on your lips you are ingesting. If this does not work, see your local dermatologist for help.
Weather is often a cause especially. in cold climates. Frequent licking of the lips is often the cause for what ever the reason. Allergy to substances held on the lips such as nickel whistles or jewelry are an elusive diagnosis at times. dry white scaling of the lips can signify a precancerous condition from sun exposure (actinic cheilitis)